Market Experts Say Brand Yourself, Make It To The Top

Careers

Marketing experts have long touted the importance of branding an individual product to establish its identity in a crowded consumer product market.

Now a former advertising and marketing executive suggests if you're hunting for a job or want to move up the ladder in the crowded labor market, it's important to "brand" yourself.

"Most people think branding is taking a hot iron and searing your flesh, but when I talk about personal branding I mean taking an idea of who you are and searing it into the minds of your employer and co-workers," said Peter Montoya, president of Peter Montoya Inc., which he describes as "an advertising agency that works with people who want to succeed in their careers."

His company, based in Santa Ana, Calif., has 30 employees and had $3 million in sales last year. In addition to consulting, the firm also designs brochures, Web sites and business cards for clients' "personal branding."

"Branding is making sure everyone in the profession and the workplace knows who you are, what you do and what makes you unique," said Montoya, author of "The Brand Called You" (Personal Branding Press, $24.95), which will be published in May.

Establishing yourself by having a strong image can be very effective, the executive says.

"People are hired and promoted not only based on performance but also on perception," said Montoya, an advertising and marketing professional before he started his firm in 1997. "There are employees who have done fantastic jobs but don't move ahead -- and there also are employees who have done mediocre work but now hold top jobs."

And that's where branding comes in, he says. "What people think of you is what allows you to get the job or to advance," said Montoya. "Everything you do brands you."

To change your personal brand or to create a new one, the executives says first decide who you are and what you want to be known for--and then to make sure every step you take is consistent with that image.

"Some of my clients are excellent at what they do but they're the best-kept secret in the company," he said. "One man was director of sales at a large company and had been in the job for three years, which means he had plateaued. He wanted to be vice president of sales, so to brand himself better, he increased his visibility.

He sent memos to his staff on how to improve their sales skills. He conducted in-house sales seminars, open to everyone. And, he increased his networking contacts.

"Six months later, he got the promotion he wanted."

Because personal branding is so close to Montoya's heart, I asked him how he describes himself. "I'm the leader in personal branding," he said.